Combined heating and sprinkler system.



G. P. NUTTER & J. Bi CHATMAN.

comnmnn HEATING AND SPRINKLER SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED HAY 26, 1900.

1,087,1 36, Patentd Feb. 17, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. P. NUTTER & J. E. GHATMAN. COMBINED HEATING AND SPRINKLER SYSTEM.

Arrmoulon nun lune, 1906. ,037, 1 3 Patented Feb. 17., 19m

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES P. NUTTER, 0F MALDEN, AND JOHN E. CHATMAN, 0F SWAMPSCOTT,MASSACHUSETTS.

Specificatiod of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

Application filed May 26, 1906. Serial No. 318,814.

To all whom. it may concern Be it known that we, CHARLES P. Nu'rrnn, acitizen of the United States, and resident of Malden, county ofMiddlesex, State of Massachusetts, and JOHN E. CHATMAN, a citizen of theUnited States, and resident of Swanipscott, county of Essex, State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Combined Heating andSprinkler Systems, of which the following description, in connectionwith theaccompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on thedrawings representing like parts.

Our invention has for its object to provide a novel sprinkler systemwhich is ca able of being used as a heating system so t at by theinstallation of one circulating system a building can be heated and canalso be provided with an automatic sprinkler system capable ofextinguishing fires.

We attain the above object by so arranging the sprinkler pipes of thesprinkler system that a heating medium can be circulated therethrough,thus converting the said pipes into heating pipes.

Our invention, therefore, is a combined sprinkler system and heatingsystem, or a single system capable of performing the functions of both asprinkler system and a heating system.

During warm weather, when itis unnecessary to use the heating feature ofthe invention, the circulation of the medium in the pipes is stopped,but the pipes are always full of sai medium and are ready for the extinishing of fires whenever any of the sprin ler heads give way.

Other features of our invention will be more fully hereinafter describedand then pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings we have illustrated largely diagrammatically one way inwhich our invention may be carried out.

Fi re 1 is a vertical section through a bail mg showing our combinedsprinkler and heating system applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection on the line 23 Fig. 1.; Fig. 3 is a detail of a sprinkler head.

In Fig. 1 3 designates the floors of a building which is equipped withour combined sprinkler and heating system, said building being hereinshown as having five stories. The sprinkler pipes which extendthroughout the building are designated by 8 and these are referablyplaced near the ceiling or in suc other places as will permit them toproperly perform their sprinkling function when occasion arises. Eachpipehas mounted thereon a plurality of antomatic sprinkler heads 11which may have any suitable or usual construction. sprinkler headsherein shown are of a wellknown type, and each comprises a valve 12which closes a port 13 communicating with the sprinkler pipe 8 and whichvalve is held in place by a fusible retainer or connection 130 so thatwhenever sufiicient heat is developed near the sprinkler head to meltthe fusible retainer, t valve 12 thereon will open, thus allowing thecontents of the pipe 8 to be discharged. In the arrangement as shown in.the drawin the pipes8 are all connected at one en to a sup ly pipe 6 andare connected at the other end to a common return 7. In order that thepipes 8 may' also be used for heating pipesj we propose to connect thesupply pipe 6 with a heater 4 (this being done herein by means of thepipe or connection 5), and to also connect the return pipe '1 with theheater insome suitable way so that the. medium which is circulatedthrough the pipes 8 may be returned to the heater. It is within our Ainvention to use any suitable medium in the pipes 8 which is bothcapable of extinguishlllTg fires and of conveying heat to the pipes.

e prefer, however, to use water, for water can be readily heated,circulated through the pipes 8 and returned to the heater again, and italso makes a most effective medium for extinguishing fires. If foundnecessary to keep up a proper circulation of the hot water through thepipes 8, a circulating pump 10 may be employed, although this will notbe necessary under all circumstances.

In Fig. 1 the sprinkler ipes 8 are shown as connected directl to t esupply pipe 6 and return pipe 7. n Fig. 2, said sprinkler pipes areconnected directly to branches 9 which in turn connect to the supplypipe 6 and the return pipe 7. Provision is made, as will be more fullyhereinafter described, so that the s rinkler pipes 8 are alwaysmaintained in l of water and are therefore always ready to act as srinkler ipes. Whenever the pipes are to used a as heating pipes, thewater in them is heated The to shut off heat. This can be convenandcaused to be circulated therethrough. It is not necessary, however, touse the pipes I as heating pipes except in cold weather, and

in order that the heating function may be I eliminated withoutinterfering in any way I with the sprinkling function, we providefor Istopping the circulation of the water'I through the pipes 8 whenever itis lesired iently done by arranging in each of the pipes a valve 15which when closed cuts off communication between said pipeand thereturn. -VVhen the valves 15 are opened and the heater 4 is inoperation, a heating medium will be circulated through the sprinklerpipes, thus converting said pipes into heating pipes. When the valves 15are closed, the circulation of the heating medium is stopped and theheating function is eliminated from the system without, however,disturbing in any way the sprinkling function thereof. lVe prefer toplace a valve 15 in each of the pipes-8 so that any one of the pipes canbe used separately for heating purposes. The manner of connecting thiscombined system to the Water supply so as to always maintain the pipes 8full of water. whether the water is circulating therethrough or not.will vary according to I the circumstances of the case. I

In Fig. l we have shown one simple lay I out which accomplishes thepurpose With- I out, however, limiting ourselves to this construction.In said figure, the circulating I I pump 10, if one is used, isconnected with I the water main 21 by means of a suitable I pipe 22which will preferably have a valve I therein. The water main is alsoshown as being connected to the supply pipe 6 I through a pipe 23 whichhas a valve 30I therein. The supply pipe 6 extends to a pressure tank24, said pipe being connected I to the tank both by means of aconnection 25 which leads into the bottom of the tank I and by aconnection 26 which leads into the top of the tank. The connection 26 ispro vided with a float valve 27 adapted to close when the water in thepressure tank falls below a predetermined level. 29 is a check I valvesituated in the pipe 25 and arranged to permit the water to flow fromthe tank 24 to the supply pipe 6 but notin the re- 1 verse direetiom'and28 is a check valve ar- I ranged to permit the water to fiow jrom thepipe 6 through the pipe 26 to the tank, but not in the reversedirection. I I I I The construction thus far described provides for ahead of water in the tank 24 sutlicient to keep the pipes S alwaysfilled and said tank also allows for expansion of I the water in thepipes when it is heated. I There is sutlicient water in the tank 2-1 toextinguish a small tire without drawing on the city supply.

As stated above, the valve 27 is so arranged as to close when the waterlevel in the tank 24 drops below a certain point, so

that after a certain amount of the water in r the tank 24 has been drawnoff for extinguishing a fire, or other purpose, said valve Wlll close.If thefire is of considerable dimensions, however. so that here Water 1sneeded for extinguishing it than is con-1 ceive the full pressure of thecity Water.

\V hen the supply pipe 6 is thus connected to the main 21 the clie'cl;valve 29 Will prevent the water from flowing into the tank 24 throughthe connection 25, and the float valve 27 will prevent thewater fromflowing into the tank through the connection 26. All the water deliveredfrom the city main '21 therefore is directed into the pipes 8 forextinguishing the fire.

In many buildings a fire pump is sta tioned which may be put into playto pump the water under -increased pressure to various parts of thebuilding. In the drawings we have shown such a fire pump at 31, and itis illustrated as being connected to the source of water supply by asuitable pipe and also connected to the pipe 26 by. a suitable pipe 34,which is herein shown as having a stop valve 35 and a check valve 36therein. Said fire pump may also be connected with the pipe 21 by pipes37 and 38. With this arrangement by properly manipulating the valves 40,-11 and 42 the tire pump may be connected either with the return 7 orwith the supply pipe (3 or with both and may be usedto force water underany desired pressure through the sprinkler heads.

In practice the tire pump or other means for getting increased pressurewill not be started until after the water in the tank 24 Ihas been drawnout sutliciently to permit the valve 27 to close. As a result, the 111-crcased pressure in the main (3 due to the fire pump or other pumpingapparatus will not force the water into the tank 24, but will insteadincrease the pressure at the sprinkler heads.

50 designates a supply pump which may be used if necessary for pumpingwater into the supply tank 24 throughthe pipes 34 and 26, it beingunderstood that the float valve 27 will have to be raised by hand inorder to open it to permit the water to be pumped into the tank 24. Thisparticular arrangement of fire pump, supply pump and the special systemof piping for supplying water to the system in case a sprinkler-headgives way, maybe varied according to the circumstances of the case.

To prevent any possibility of any sprint kler head becoming opened bythe heat con--1 veyed to it by the heating ipe 8, we may if desiredemploy some suitalile form of heatinsulated sprinkler head. Underordinary circumstances, however, the 'heat generated in any pipe 8 willnot be sufficient to melt the fusible connection of the sprinkler head.One 'simple way of heat insulating the sprinkler heads from'the ipes 8is illustrated in Fig. 3 wherein cac sprinkler head is shown asv beingscrewed into a nipple 16 which in turn is screwed into a bushing 17 ofsuitable heat-insulating material that is carried by the T 18. Thebushing 17 prevents the heat in the ipe 8 from being conveyed. to thesprinkler head through the nipple 16, and the nipple 16 forms within itan air chamber, the air in which prevents the hot waterfromcomingdirectly in contact with the valve.

Any other suitable manner of insulatin the sprinkler heads from the pipeS could be adopted, however, without departing from our invention.

It is apparent that the valves 15 may be adjusted to vary the flow ofwater through the individual sprinkler pipes without shut ting it offcompletely, if desired, and if there should be any tendency of the waterto flow through certain pipes rather than others, such tendency can becounteracted and short-circuiting of the water prevented and a uniformdistribution of the circulating water obtained by such adjustment.

The principal feature of our invention resides in arranging a sprinklersystem so that the sprinkler pipes may be used for heating purposes, andwe desire to claim this broadly.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In a combined sprinkler and heatingsystem,'the combination with a plurality of sprinkler pipes and apluralityof sprinkler heads mounted on each pip'e,'of a supply pipeconnected to all ofsaid sprinkler pipes, a return also connectcdto allof said pipes, whereby said pipes form part of a complete circulatingsystem and means to maintain said pipes filled with a heating mediumcapable of extinguishing fires.

2. In a combined sprinkler and heating system, the combination with aplurality of sprinkler pipes, of a supply pipe connected to all of saidpipes, a return also connected to all of said pipes. whereby saidsprinkl ar pipes form part of a complete circulating system, and meansto cause a heating medium capable of extinguishing fires to ci,r-.

culate through said pipes.

3. In a combined isprinklerand heating system. the combination with aplurality of sprinkler pipes, of a fifrality of sprinkler heads mountedon 'pipe, a supply pipe connected to all of said pipes, a return alsoconnected to said pipes, means to maintain said pipes filled with aheating medium capable of extinguishing fires, and means to closecommunication between saidpipes and the return.

4. In a combined sprinkler anfil lieating of combined heating andsprinkler pipes connecting with both said supply and with Said return, aplurality of sprinkler heads mounted on each of said combined heatingand sprinkler pipes, and independent means to close the communicationbetween each of said pipes and the return whereby any one of the pipesmay be cut out of the system as a heating pipe while remaining in thesystem as a sprinkler pipe.

6. In a combined heatingand sprinkler system, acombined heating andsprinkler pipe connected with and'forming part of a circulating system,sprinkler heads mounted on said pipe, and means whereby the heat.

ing function of said pipe mavbe eliminated without affecting thesprinkling function thereof. i

7. An automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus comprising a system ofsprinkler pipes provided with beads, connections between their oppositeends forming a circulating system, connections between said system and asource of supply of water, and a heater included in said system. 5

8. In an automatic fire extinguishing system, an arrangement wherebywater within such system may be cormtantly circulated and warmed and soprotected from freezing, which consists of a combination of a heater, aconduit pipe connecting said heater with a manifold which unites theinlet ends of a series of distributing pipes having automaticdistributing devices, a'manifold uniting the extremeor outlet ends ofsaid distributing pipes with each other and with a conduit leading toand connecting with said heater, the whole constituting 'a closedcircuit including the automatic fine extinguishing system and theheater, substantially as described.

9. In an automatic stationary fire extinguishing system, the combinationwith distributing pipes provided with automatic distributing anddischarge devices, of a water heater, a supply conduit connecting thesaid hratcr with a manifold unltmg the inlets of the said distributingpipes, a return con 130 lating water through the sprinkler system.

'35 13. A sprinkler system, including supply duit connecting the saidheater with a manifold uniting the outlet or dead ends of the saiddistributing pipes whereby a system is provided through which water maybe circulated warm and so kept from freezing, substantially asdescribed;

10. In arr automatic stationary fire extinguishingsystem, thecombination with Water distributing pipes having automatic dis--tributing devices, of'a manifold uniting the inlet ends of suchpipes, awater heater, a supply conduit connecting said heater with saidmanifold, a manifoldv uniting the extreme or outlet ends of the saiddistributing. pipes with each other and with a return con-' duitconnecting this manifold with the heater whereby water inclosed withinthe system may be circulated and warmed and so prevented from freezing,substantially as described. 1

11. The combination, with I a sprinkler system, including supply andbranch pipes. the latter provided with sprinkler heads, of

a hot water heater having its outlet con nected with the supply pipe,anda cennection between the heater inlet and the outer ends of the branchpipes, whereby hot water can be circulated through the sprinkler systemwhen in normal condition.

12. The combination, with a sprinkler system arranged .for thecontinuouscirculation of water therethrough under normal conditions, of means forheating and circupipes and sprinkler branches connected therewith, incontinuous CUll'lIllllIllQalllOll with a source of water supply, andmeans to permit circulation of water througlrthe system, combined withmeans to heat and efiect the circulation of the water through thesprinkler system.

14-. The combination with a sprinkler system having branches providedwith sprinkler hcads, and water supplying pipes 'ior said branches, ofmeans to circulate water ihrough the said supplying pipes.

.15. A sprinkler system including branches provided with sprinklerheads, and water distributing and return pipes connected with thebranches to permit circulation of water lhercthrough. and means tocirculate water through the sprinkler system.

in. .:prinkler system including branches provided with sprinkler heads,and water di ributing and return pipes connected \\'lil1 the branches topermitcirculalion of water thcrethrough. combined with a circulatingpump having its inlet and outlet connected, respectively. with thereturn and distrilmting pipes. and means to heat the eater incirculation.

17. A sprinkler system, a water supply in continuous communicationtherewith,

means to heat and circulate water through the sprinkler system,'andareturn connecand circulating means.

18. The combination with water supply and return pipes, and a series ofbranches connected therewith and provided with sprinkler heads, to 'forma'circulating system, of means to efiectthe circulation of water throughsuch system.

19. The combination with water supply and return pipes, and a series ofbranches connected therewith andprovided with sprinkler heads, to form acirculating system, of means to effect the circulation of water throughsuch system, and means to heat-the wateras it passes to the circulatmgsystem.

20. The combination, with a sprinkler system including branches providedwith sprinkler heads, and supply pipes for said branches, of means toeffect the circulation of water through the'supply pipes, and means toinsulate the sprinkler heads from the heat of the circulating water.

21. The 1 combination, with 1 a. sprinkler system arranged to form aclosed circulating loop, and a water. supply in continuous communicationtherewith, of means to eftect the circulation of water through suchcirculating loop.

22. The combination, with a sprinkler system arranged to form a closedcirculatinglcop. and a water supply in'continuou's con'nnunicationtherewith, of means to effeet the circulation of water through such tionbetween said system and the heatingcirculating loop, and means to raisethe temperature of the water in circulation.

23. A circulation system of pipin provided with sprinkler headsindividually and automatically operative upon a predetermined rise intemperature, a source of.water supply in constant communication withsuch system, and means separate from such vvide bodies of dead airadjacent the sprin kler heads and thereby insulate the latter from theheat of the water.

26. The combinatiin with a plurality of branches provided with sprinklerheads. distributing and return pipes connected with the branches, meansto effect the circulation of water through said pipes and branches,

and means interposed between the distributing pipes and the branches toprevent shortcircuiting of the water.

27. In a sprinkler system, a series of sprinkler branches distributingand return pipes connected therewith, means to heat and circulate waterthrough the system, asource of Water supply in constant communicationwith the system, and means to efi'ect a substantially uniformdistribution of Water from the distributing pipes to the branches andthereby prevent sliort-circuit-ing.

28. The combination with a circulating system of sprinkler pipesprovided with heads, of a heater included therein, connections betweensaid system and a source of,

supply of water, a by-pass connection around the heater, and a valvecontrolling said by pass connection.

29. In a s rinkler system, pipes arranged to form a circulation loop,means to circulate water therein, sprinkler pipes included in thecirculation loop, sprinkler heads therein, and a connection in the loopto a main supply of water.

In a circulating system, pipes and a water receptacle, arranged to'forma circular tion loop, means to circulate water therein, sprinkler pipesincluded in the circulation loop, sprinkler heads therein, and aconnection in the'loop to a main supply of water.

31. In a sprinkler system, pipes arranged to form a circulation loop, acirculating pump in said loop, sprinkler pipes included in thecirculation loop, sprinkler heads therein, and a connection to a mainsupply of,water entering the loop between the sprinkler pipes andthe'intake side of the circulating pump.

In, testimony whereof, We have signed our names to this specification,in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES P. NUTTER. JOHN E. CHATMAN. Witnesses:

BERTHA F. HEUSEB, LoUIs C. SMITH.

00p! 0! mpetent-my be obtained for five cents each, by addressing theCommissioner at Patents, Washington, D. C."

